Broadband gloves are off: Virgin Media O2’s £31bn post-merger data war with BT’s EE has begun October 20, 2021 Virgin Media O2 has kicked off its expected broadband and mobile data battle with British Telecom, with analysts welcoming the increased competition. Customers of both Virgin Media and O2 will see their pay monthly mobile data allowance to be doubled, while broadband speeds will be upgraded to the next available tier, free of charge. It [...]
Man who attacked 5G mast from BT has ‘severe mental health problems’ October 1, 2021 A judge said this afternoon that a man who set fire to a 5G mast – causing £100,000 of damage – was suffering from “severe mental health problems.” David Patterson, 41, was given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday after Judge Sarah Mallett heard how he was now responding well to [...]
Nature calls: David Attenborough hologram to front £28m 5G trial January 13, 2021 Sir David Attenborough is set to star in a holographic video showcasing the wonders of the natural world as part of a £28m government-funded 5G trial. The beloved British broadcaster will feature in a new augmented reality app, to be released alongside upcoming BBC series The Green Planet. The app, developed by a consortium of [...]
A booming Britain will need a broadband boost, too December 29, 2020 The best possible platform from which to launch the UK into its post-Brexit future outside the European Union is world class digital infrastructure. Only underpinned by the fastest Full Fibre networks will the UK be able to establish itself as a leading digital economy. Full Fibre will enable us to compete with countries and companies [...]
Today: UK to outline roadmap to removing Huawei equipment from its 5G networks November 30, 2020 The UK will today set out its plan to remove all “high risk” Huawei equipment from its 5G networks by 2027. The government announced earlier this year that it will be illegal to purchase Huawei equipment to use in UK 5G networks from the end of this year. All existing equipment procured from the Chinese [...]
Government’s digital strategy cannot be a missed opportunity November 12, 2020 Why is there no British tech titan on the scale of Google, Apple or Amazon? This is a question that has exercised the minds of those in and outside of government for some time. Many have concluded that more needs to do done if the UK is ever going to create a $1 trillion home [...]
BT taps Ericsson to provide London 5G networks October 28, 2020 BT has chosen Swedish telecoms firm Ericsson to provide 5G radio equipment in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and other major UK cities. The deal means that when rollout is completed, Ericsson will manage around 50 per cent of BT’s 5G traffic. It comes just months after the government said it would ban Chinese firm Huawei [...]
Ericsson boosted by margin growth as China 5G tensions mount October 21, 2020 Ericsson today reported better-than-expected earnings for the third quarter as higher margins and the rollout of 5G in China helped boost trading. Shares in the Swedish telecoms group were up more than seven per cent today as its strategy of improving profitability saw gross margins hit their highest level in 14 years. Adjusted revenue grew [...]
Huawei: ‘Clear evidence’ of collusion with Beijing, MPs warn October 8, 2020 There is “clear evidence of collusion” between Chinese tech giant Huawei and authorities in Beijing, top MPs have warned. In a report published today parliament’s defence committee claimed Huawei was “closely linked” to the Chinese state and the Communist Party. It also cited concerns about Huawei’s receipt of state subsidies and Chinese intelligence laws that [...]
5G rollout across Britain set to create 5,000 jobs October 5, 2020 Telecoms firms have pledged to create 5,000 new UK jobs through the rollout of 5G technology across Britain, marking a rare bright spot on the bleak jobs horizon during the pandemic. Liberty Global, which owns Virgin Media, and O2’s Spanish owner Telefonica, have announced plans to create 4,000 jobs and 1,000 apprenticeship roles in the [...]